About the Phillips Partnership

Hennepin County Commissioner Peter McLaughlin

“The Phillips Partnership has provided innovative solutions to the difficult problems that have hampered the neighborhood for far too long. Its continued mission will be to further enhance the initiatives already in place and to build on the framework they have established. The only way to get ‘big things’ done is through strategic partnerships. Through many initiatives I’ve learned that it is essential to mobilize in a focused, coordinated way the strengths and capacities of the public and private sectors, and the community. It takes clear, bold vision, workable strategies to make it a reality, the will and skill to implement it, and a deep-seated optimism in the face of barriers and cynicism. The Phillips partnership is the latest and best example of using this approach to tackle seemingly intractable problems. And it’s working.”

Background
HENNEPIN COUNTY SERVICE

Commissioner, Hennepin County Board of Commissioners

Chair, Metropolitan Light Rail Transit Joint Powers Board

Hennepin County Board of Commissioners

Chair, Hennepin County Regional Rail Authority; active proponent of regional transportation policy to support communities of the future.

Chair, Social Service Committee

Co-Chair, Intergovernmental Relations Committee

Member, Joint Committee on Community Corrections

Member, African American Men’s Project

Member, all committees of Hennepin County Board

HENNEPIN COUNTY ACHIEVEMENTS

Coordinated the successful regional effort with the help of labor, business and community in lobbying for LRT funding.

Founding member of the Phillips Partnership- a public/private partnership created to target the problems that were plaguing the neighborhood. Successful efforts include Train to Work, with more than 253 graduates and 215 working at Abbott Northwestern and Children’s Hospitals and Health Careers Institute; a training program that gives students advanced skills and higher paying employment. The Partnership has also worked to improve the affordable housing situation and 35W access.

Founding member of the Midtown Community Works Partnership, a public/private collaborative effort that addresses the issues facing the Midtown Community. The Partnership has been instrumental in keeping the Midtown Greenway on track.

Won approval for several bold actions to combat crime, including:

Creation of a drug court;
Expanded use of juvenile work squads and adult Sentence To Serve work crews;
Building new jail cells;
Additional juvenile detention beds;
Putting inmates to work and working closely with the District Court on the Adult Gun Policy and the Juvenile Gun Education Program.

Promoted Community building efforts which include:

Sabathani - Helping Families Help Themselves;
American Indian Community Collaborative (AICC);
STRIDE Project in Hawthorne;
CAPS Program - Community Alternative Probation;
Commonweal (Currency Exchange Network)

Founding member of Hennepin/Powderhorn Partners, a partnership between the County, various social service organizations and the residents of the neighborhood. They take a holistic and strength based approach to addressing the diverse needs of individuals and their families.

Increased County staff to expedite the adoption process. This has resulted in the faster adoption of children as well as lowered foster care costs. Quick adoptions have benefited the parents, Hennepin County employees and the children.

Initiated creation of community service jobs in neighborhoods. Launched county cooperation in with an enterprise of private small business and non-profit agencies to provide transportation for unemployed city residents to suburban jobs, a model of reverse commute.

Led reforms of county budgeting process that now give staff direction from the Board of Commissioners and the public early, before decisions are made, through strategic planning, clearer goal setting, the county’s first mission and vision statements, and creation of Town Meetings for public dialogue.

Initiated creation of Five Year Strategic Financial Plan as a budgeting tool to give better information as basis for longer term planning.

Slowed growth of government and held county property tax increases to cost of living or less since joining the Board.

Initiated major evaluation effort to review all county operations and contracts with a goal of measuring the success of activities and to ensure the most productive use of tax dollars.

Dramatically increased funding for sliding fee child care.

Led development of Hennepin County Solid Waste Master Plan, nationally recognized for its well-integrated, environmentally protective and fiscally sound management.

Led efforts to open Stone Arch Bridge for use by citizens through successful partnership with city and state governments. Participated in bridge renovation and interpretive trails development.

Made the county a full partner in the Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Program (NRP).

Expanded resources and support for volunteers in Hennepin County.

Substantial ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) improvements to county facilities.

Helped to develop comprehensive bicycle transportation plan. Provided county funding for 29th Street Greenway, a bike trail and green space that will run from France Avenue to the Mississippi River.

Reduced mercury emissions from garbage burner/resource recovery facility by 90 percent.

CURRENT INTERGOVERNMENTAL SERVICE

Committee Member, National Association of Counties (NACo) Large Urban Counties Caucus

Vice Chair, Minneapolis Youth Coordinating Board

Member, Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board (SWMCB)

Chair, Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board’s Needs Assessment Committee

Chair, Metropolitan LRT Joint Powers Board

Member, Minneapolis Neighborhood Revitalization Plan (NRP) Policy Board

Member, City/County Homeless Task Force (Family)

Member, St. Anthony Falls Heritage Board

Member, Joint Committee on Community Corrections

Chair, Tax Policy Study Group

Finance Chair, National Democratic County Officials

Vice Chair, Joint Center for Sustainable Communities, NACo

Member, Welfare Reform Next Steps Task Force, NACo

Vice Chair, NACo’s Labor and Employee Benefits Steering Committee

CURRENT COMMUNITY SERVICE

Founding Member, Phillips Partnership

Founding Member, Midtown Community Works Partnership

Member, Green Institute Capitol Campaign Committee

Chair, Health Careers Institute Board

FORMER COMMUNITY SERVICE

Former Committee Member, National Association of Counties Presidential Task Force on Economic Development

Chair, Healthy Powderhorn Community Resource

Member and past Chair, PRG, a non-profit housing development corporation

President, Association of Minnesota Counties

Chair, National Association of Counties (NACo) Large Urban Counties Caucus

Member, Board of Directors of the Minneapolis Institute of Arts

Member, Native American Task Force, Association of Minnesota Counties

Member, Board of Directors of Harriet Tubman Shelter for Battered Women

Member, City/County Homelessness Task Force (Singles and Youth)

PERSONAL

Hennepin County Commissioner, 1991-present

Chair, Hennepin County Board, 1995-1996

Community Faculty Member, Metropolitan State University, 1980-1994

Minnesota State Representative, 1985-1990, House Assistant Majority Leader

Executive Director, Minneapolis Community Business Employment Alliance, 1983-1985

Research and Operations Director, Urban Coalition of Minneapolis, 1977-1983

Aide to the Mayor, Trenton, N.J., 1972-1975

M.A., Hubert Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota, 1977

A.B., Princeton University, 1971